I’ve just finished reading a long-term wrap-up test of a BMW 535i. One of the points the raised was with respect to the wheels and tires. During the course of the test, over 40,000 miles in two years, the original wheels were damaged so badly that they had to be replaced no less than six times. In the first two instances the wheels were replaced with new ones, but subsequently they were repaired by a specialist. No special explanation was given for the damage, so one can only assume that it came about as a result of day-to-day driving.

Furthermore, the alloy wheel repair specialist thought the wheels “too soft” for a 4000lb car. Given that the OE wheels for this car are 18-inch and fitted with 245/45 tyres, one could argue that this further supports your argument against large wheels with low profile tyres. Finally, after admitting that the wheel replacement, repair and new tyres cost a total of $4474 the testers lamented that for a mere $1389 they could have purchased the BMW Tyre and Wheel protection program which is good for five years with a $50 deductible.

I’m not sure of the terms and conditions, but clearly the cynic may argue that this is a problem BMW knows about but would prefer to profit on through an insurance scheme, rather than fix it. However I suspect that 5 Series sales would plummet if the cars were fitted with 15-inch wheels and appropriately-sized tires.